foreword to Book Three

ART writes--

Elaine and I listened to the story Adam had recorded, all the way through 
in one session. 

While listening, we were totally entranced and happy, as if Adam was 
actually home with us.  At least we knew that he was alive and well.  The 
events of his story were incredible, of course, but his voice also pulled 
us into a dreamy acceptance of every word, we were fascinated: he was an 
Orator all right, no doubt about it.

But then it ended, with us knowing that our kid was out there in the night 
somewhere, doing whatever it was he had to do at some pagan orgy, where a 
super-sasquatch witch-doctor "Adversary" who used black magic would be out 
to get him.  We weren't too comfortable about that part of the story. 

All we could do was wait.  We were anxious, but he had sounded so confident 
that we weren't terrified.  We knew how he was about keeping his word and 
he had said he would be back the night after the Full Moon, therefore the 
15th of May, so we counted on him keeping his word about that as well.  If 
he did not show up--then we'd be terrified.

But it was a hard two nights anyway.  For us and for Melly.  She was the 
only person we contacted with the news.  Basically we wanted to keep Adam's 
return secret from the world until we had discussed with him just how much 
he or we should be revealing about his experiences with the Nokhontli.  

We all knew there'd be a major media extravaganza when Adam showed up in 
public again--the story was just too good to gloss over: "Adam  Leroy 
Forest, the supposedly murdered sasquatch, returned from the grave today...
oh Adam tell us, everybody's wondering--where have you BEEN this last half 
year?"  We had to prepare for that. 

Adam's story must neither expose nor betray his own sasquatch folk by 
causing swarms of professional or amateur hunting expeditions to go 
combing the Cascades in search of Bigfoot, or the "Lost City of Aket".  
We could envision high-tech satellite espionage equipment scanning for 
groups of sasquatch in the mountains during the Full Moon.  Any of that 
would literally end the Nokhon way of life.  So we had to walk a delicate 
line about how much we should reveal to the media. 

We told Melly a synopsis of Adam's story, then heard the recordings again 
with her.  There was no question of keeping her in the dark, especially 
since Adam had personally addressed her, nor was there any doubt that we 
could trust her with the information.  But there was the question of how 
she would feel about the things Adam had to tell.  

We couldn't help noticing that she was moved to tears several times in the 
narration, nor did she try to hide it.  But sometimes she laughed too.  
When it was done, she was just as worried about Adam as we were.
Book Three
of the story
Adam out of Eden

Chapter 58

Adam out of Eden